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Chelsea Smith

I chose College of The Albemarle’s Associate Degree Nursing (A.D.N.) program because of its incredible reputation as one of the best in the state. I packed up my life and drove 4 hours north to the tiny town of Elizabeth City with one thing in mind – doing whatever it takes to become an RN. Since then, I have grown so much, learned so much, and have gotten plugged in to a community completely outside of my “comfort zone.”

Transferring credits from my Bachelor’s degree at UNC-Wilmington proved difficult, and I had to take my biology pre-requisites while enrolled in the nursing program – a feat that was of great concern to the faculty and staff, and my classmates. Despite their worry, I was able to soar above even my own expectations, earning A’s in each A&P class and A’s and B’s in nursing classes. This year, I am serving my classmates and community as the Vice President of our A.D.N. class of 2013. This coming semester, I plan to take our fundraising and hard work to reach the far corners of the world – raising money for a hospital in Togo, West Africa to pay for needed medical supplies, surgeries for patients who cannot pay for their care, and training for Tongan people to become medical professionals.

I have loved my time at COA and look forward to graduation, practicing as a nurse and moving on to my Master’s degree in nursing. I am confident that my experience here will provide the building blocks I need to further my career in nursing.